U.S. patent number 5,358,409 [Application Number 08/114,767] was granted by the patent office on 1994-10-25 for rotary connector for flexible elongate member having electrical properties.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Cardiometrics, Inc.. Invention is credited to Robert Z. Obara.
United States Patent |
5,358,409 |
Obara |
October 25, 1994 |
Rotary connector for flexible elongate member having electrical
properties
Abstract
Rotary connector for use with a flexible elongate member having
electrical properties and having a proximal extremity with at least
first and second conductive spaced-apart sleeves provided thereon.
A housing is provided having a bore therein. First and second
spaced-apart conductive disks are disposed in said bore. The disks
are adapted to have the proximal extremity of the flexible elongate
member extend therethrough and to have the conductive sleeves be in
contact with the conductive disks while permitting rotation of the
flexible elongate member, a push button clamping assembly is
carried by the housing for retaining the proximal extremity of the
flexible elongate member in the housing. Leads are connected to the
conductive disks.
Inventors: |
Obara; Robert Z. (Sunnyvale,
CA) |
Assignee: |
Cardiometrics, Inc. (Mountain
View, CA)
|
Family
ID: |
22357302 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/114,767 |
Filed: |
August 31, 1993 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
439/20; 439/669;
439/86; 439/909 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61N
1/02 (20130101); A61N 1/04 (20130101); H01R
24/58 (20130101); H01R 35/00 (20130101); H01R
2107/00 (20130101); Y10S 439/909 (20130101); Y10T
403/58 (20150115); Y10T 403/599 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
A61N
1/02 (20060101); A61N 1/04 (20060101); H01R
24/04 (20060101); H01R 24/00 (20060101); H01R
35/00 (20060101); H01R 017/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;439/25,24,23,21,20,18,28,481-483,909,912,669,13,86 ;128/639,642
;607/122-125 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Paumen; Gary F.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Flehr, Hohbach, Test, Albritton
& Herbert
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A rotary connector for use with a flexible elongate member
having electrical properties and having a proximal extremity with
at least first and second spaced-apart conductive sleeves provided
thereon comprising a housing having a bore therein, first and
second spaced-apart conductive disks disposed in said bore, said
conductive disks being adapted to have said proximal extremity
extend therethrough and to have said conductive sleeves be in
contact with the conductive disks while permitting substantially
free rotation of the flexible elongate member, means carried by the
housing adapted to retain the proximal extremity of the flexible
elongate member in the housing against a moderate pull on the
flexible elongate member, and leads connected to the conductive
disks.
2. A rotary connector as in claim 1 wherein said means carried by
the housing adapted to retain the proximal extremity of the
flexible elongate member in the housing includes a gripping
mechanism separate from the conductive disks carried by the housing
for retaining the proximal extremity of the flexible elongate
member in the housing.
3. A rotary connector as in claim 1 wherein said conductive disks
are formed of a metallic conducting ring having an opening therein
and a conductive elastomer membrane extending over the opening in
said ring.
4. A rotary connector as in claim 3 wherein said conductive
elastomer membrane has a thickness ranging from 0.005-0.040
inches.
5. A rotary connector as in claim 4 wherein said conductive
elastomer membrane is formed with a small diameter opening having a
size which is less than the size of the conductive sleeve to be
disposed therein.
6. A rotary connector as in claim 2 wherein said gripping mechanism
includes a spindle rotatably mounted in the housing and having a
diametrically extending well, a push button mounted in the well in
the spindle for movement diametrically of the spindle, means for
limiting the movement of the push button in and out of the well,
and means disposed in the well yieldably urging the push button out
of the well.
7. A rotary connector as in claim 6 wherein said push button is
provided with an elongate slot adapted to receive the proximal
extremity of the flexible elongate member wherein said spindle is
provided with a hole extending therethrough and in registration
with said slot.
Description
This invention relates to a rotary connector for a flexible
elongate member having electrical properties and more particularly
to a rotary connector for a flexible elongate member having
electrical properties and having a proximal extremity with at least
first and second conductive sleeves provided thereon.
In patent application Ser. No. 07/904,831, filed on Jun. 26, 1992,
now U.S. Pat. No. 5,240,437, issued Aug. 31, 1993, there is
disclosed a torquable guide wire assembly with electrical functions
which is provided with a rotary connector. With such a rotary
connector, it has been found that on occasion when contamination is
present, as for example a blood or saline solution, there is a
tendency for intermittent electrical contact to occur. There is
therefore need to overcome such possible intermittent contact and
to ensure continuous contact.
In general, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
rotary connector for use with a flexible elongate member having
electrical properties which provides a consistent electrical
contact.
Another object of the invention is to provide a connector of the
above character which provides very low friction against rotation
of the flexible elongate element.
Another object of the invention is to provide a connector of the
above character in which the proximal extremity of the flexible
elongate element can be readily inserted and removed.
Another object of the invention is to provide the connector of the
above character which includes means for retaining the proximal
extremity of the flexible elongate member in the connector.
Additional objects and features of the invention will appear from
the following description in which the preferred embodiments are
set forth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
FIG. 1 is a side-elevational view of a rotary connector
incorporating the present invention and having a flexible elongate
member mounted therein.
FIG. 2 is longitudinal cross-sectional view of the connector shown
in FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of FIG.
1.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 4--4 of FIG.
1.
FIG. 5 is an exploded isometric view of the rotary connector shown
in FIG. 1.
In general, the rotary connector incorporated in the present
invention is for use with a flexible elongate member having
electrical properties and having a proximal extremity with at least
first and second conductive sleeves provided thereon. An outer
housing is provided which has a bore therein. First and second
spaced-apart conductive disks are mounted in the bore. The
conductive disks are sized so that the conductive sleeves can
extend therethrough and make electrical contact therewith. Leads
are coupled to the conductive disks. A gripping mechanism is
carried by the housing for retaining the proximal extremity of the
flexible elongate member in the housing.
More in particular, as shown in the drawings, the rotary connector
11 is adapted to be used with a flexible elongate member 12 which
can be in the form of a guide wire. The flexible elongate member 12
is provided with a shaft 13 formed of a stainless steel hypotube
and having proximal and distal extremities 16 and 17. A coil spring
21 is mounted on the distal extremity 17 and is secured thereto. It
carries a housing (not shown) which carries an electrical device 23
such as an ultrasonic transducer. Conductors (not shown) are
connected to the electrical device 23 such as to the front and back
sides of the ultrasonic transducer 23 and extend through the coil
spring 21 and through the shaft 13 to the proximal extremity and
are connected to first and second conductive sleeves or slip rings
26 and 27.
The rotary connector 11 consists of a shell or outer housing 31
which is cylindrical in shape which is provided with a bore 32
extending therethrough up to a dam 33. The dam 33 has a centrally
disposed hole 34 therein. A multistage inner housing 35 is mounted
within the shell 31. The outer housing 31 and the multistage inner
housing 35 are formed of a suitable material such as plastic. The
multistage inner housing 35 consists of a first stage 36, a second
stage which consists of two pieces 37 and 38 and a third stage
39.
The first stage 36 is formed of a solid piece and is provided with
an annular recess 41. It is also provided with a chamfered hole 42
extending therethrough which is sized so that it is adapted to
accommodate the proximal extremity of the flexible elongate member
12 which can be considered to be a male connector. A chamfer or
countersink 43 is provided at the commencement of the hole 42 to
facilitate the introduction of the proximal extremity of the
flexible elongate member 12 therethrough. The first stage 36 has a
diameter such that it can be introduced into the bore 32 of the
shell or outer housing 31 with the hole 42 being axially aligned
with the axis of the housing 31.
The second stage pieces 37 and 38 are also formed of a solid
material and are provided with bores 47 on the distal ends and
annular recesses 48 on the proximal ends and slots 49 extending
into the bores 47 as shown particularly in FIG. 5 with the slot 49
in piece 37 being offset circumferentially with respect to the slot
49 in piece 38 by a suitable angle such as 120.degree.. Chamfered
holes 51 extend axially of the second stage pieces 37 and 38. The
bores 47 and the annular recesses 48 are sized so that the second
stage pieces 37 and 38 can be nested and seated in the bore 32 of
the housing 31 as shown in FIG. 2.
The third stage 39 is also formed of a solid piece and is provided
with a central bore 52 and is also provided with three
circumferentially spaced apart slots 54 spaced 120.degree. apart.
The bore 52 is sized so that second stage piece 38 can seat in the
bore 52. A plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart slots 54
spaced approximately 120.degree. apart are provided in the third
stage 39 and extend longitudinally thereof and open into the
annular recess 52. A chamfered hole 56 extends through the third
stage 39 and is axially aligned with the chamfered holes 51 in
second stage pieces 37 and 38. The plastic which is used for the
various parts of the rotary connector 11 can be of a suitable type
such as ABS.
Conductive disks 61 are provided which are adapted to be mounted in
the bores 47 of the second stage pieces 37 and 38 and in the bore
52 of the third stage 39. Each of the conductive disks 61 consists
of a conductive metal ring 62 formed of a suitable material such as
brass which is provided with an integral tab 63 and has a centrally
disposed opening 64 therein. A conductive elastomeric membrane 65
is vulcanized to the ring 62 and extends across the opening 64 in
the ring. One conductive elastomeric material found to be
satisfactory is an electrically conductive silicon rubber
identified as X-65-101U supplied by the Performance Elastomers
division of Furon, 1032 Morse Avenue, Sunnyvale, Calif., 94089.
Such an elastomer has a Shore A hardness of 58, a tensile strength
of 250 psi, elongation of 200%, a volume resistivity in ohm-cm of
0.006 and a tear strength of 60 psi. It is desirable that the
conductivity of the material used for the membrane be very high so
as to make excellent electrical contact with the conductive slip
ring when it is disposed in the membrane. Thus it can be less than
0.006 ohm-cm. The material should not be brittle but it should be
flexible enough so that it can withstand puncturing without ripping
or tearing. Typically the membrane before vulcanization can have a
thickness ranging from 0.005-0.040 inches and preferably ranging
from 0.025-0.030 inches. The ring 62 itself can have an outside
diameter of a suitable size, as for example 0.25 inches. If
desired, a small centrally disposed hole 66 can be provided in each
of the membranes 65 through which the proximal extremity 16 of the
flexible elongate member 12 can pass. It is desirable that this
hole have a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of the
conductive sleeves or slip rings 26 so that an elastomeric fit will
occur between the membrane 65 and the slip ring 26 when it is
disposed therein to provide good conductivity with the slip
ring.
Conductors 71 are provided which are connected to the tabs 63 of
the conductive rings 62, which tabs are aligned with one of the
slots 49 with the conductors extending proximally therefrom through
the slots 49 and the slots 54. The conductors 71 extend proximally
and are connected into a cable 73 which extends through a strain
relief such as cable clip 77 mounted within a flanged end cap 76.
The cable 73 extends through the end cap 76 and is connected to a
fitting 74 (see FIG. 1) which is adapted to be connected to
electronic equipment (not shown).
The conductive disks 61 are adapted to be disposed within the bores
47 and 52 and are retained therein with the tabs 63 being aligned
with one of the tabs 63 being disposed in each of the
circumferentially spaced-apart slots 49 and 54. All of the stages
can then be assembled into a single unit and then placed within the
outer housing or shell 31 followed by the cable 73 and the cable
clip 77 and the end cup 76 to close off on one end of the outer
housing or shell 31. Means is carried by the outer housing 31 for
retaining the proximal extremity of the flexible elongate member 12
in a fixed longitudinal position within the outer housing or shell
31 after the proximal extremity 16 has been positioned in the
conductive disks 61 disposed within the outer housing or shell 31.
This means takes the form of a push button grip mechanism 81. It
consists of a spindle 82 formed of a suitable material such as
plastic which is provided with a cylindrical extension 83 of
reduced diameter which is adapted to fit in a bore 84 within the
distal extremity of the outer housing or shell 31 on the other side
of the dam 33. In order to reduce the friction during rotation of
the spindle 82 the cylindrical extension 83 is spaced from the dam
33 and is provided with rounded circumferentially spaced-apart
protrusions 85 which are adapted to be seated within and travel in
an annular groove 86 provided in the interior wall forming the bore
84 of the outer housing 31. The spindle 82 is provided with an
oval-shaped rounded depression 87. A cylindrical recess or well 88
which can be rectangular in cross section extends into the spindle
82 diametrically thereof and opens through the depression 87. A
push button 89 is disposed within the recess 88. The push button 89
has an outer extremity which is in the form of a square prism shape
disposed in the depression 87 to aid in sensing the push button 89
by a finger of the hand without slipping of the finger of the hand
on the push button.
Means is provided for retaining the push button 89 within the
recess 88 but permitting axial movement of the push button in the
recess 88 and consists of first and second dowel pins 91 and 92
extending through the holes 93 and 94 in spindle 82 and having
their inner extremities disposed in longitudinally extending
recesses 96 provided in opposite sides of the push button 89. An
elongate hole 97 is provided in the push button and extends
longitudinally of the push button. The elongate hole 96 is in
alignment with a hole 98 extending at right angles thereto in the
spindle 82. Yieldable spring means is provided within the well 87
and consists of a dish-shaped spring member 99 disposed in the well
or recess 88 and engaging the innermost extremity of the push
button 89. The distal extremity of the spindle 82 is provided with
a recess 101 which is rectangular in cross section that is adapted
to receive a rectangular extension 102 provided on a front cap or
nose piece 103. The nose piece 103 is provided with a chamfered
hole 106 which is in alignment with the hole 96 and also in axial
alignment with the hole 97 in the spindle 82.
Operation and use of the rotary connector 11 in connection with the
flexible elongate member 12 may now be briefly described as
follows. Let it be assumed that it is desired to utilize a flexible
elongate member 12 such as a guide wire 12 in connection with an
angioplasty procedure. Let it also be assumed that it is desired to
advance the guide wire through the femoral artery into a vessel in
the heart. The guide wire 12 is advanced in a conventional manner
until it is near the heart. Thereafter to advance the guide wire 12
into a vessel of the heart, it is often desirable to provide means
to provide rotation of the guide wire. When this is desirable, the
rotary connector 11 of the present invention can be utilized. The
proximal extremity 16 of the guide wire 12 can be introduced into
the chamfered hole 106 provided in the nose piece 103. The proximal
extremity 16 is then advanced through the elongate hole 96. While
depressing the push button 89 the proximal extremity 16 is advanced
through the hole 97 and thence into the hole 42 in the first stage
36, and thence through the membrane 65 of the first conductive disk
61, thence through the hole 51, thence through the next conductive
disk 61 through the hole 51, thence through the last conductive
disk 61, thence through the hole 56 in the third stage 39 and until
it is seated at the bottom of the hole 56. The slip rings 26 and 27
are then in alignment with the conductive disks 61 and make
electrical contact therewith through their conductive membranes 65
and through the conductive ring 62 to the conductors 71 and thence
into the cable 73 and the connector 74. One of the disks 61 makes
contact with shaft 13 to form a ground connection.
As soon as the proximal extremity 16 has been firmly seated within
the rotary connector 11, the push button 89 can be released to
permit the spring member 99 to urge the button 89 upwardly to have
the bottom of the hole 97 engage the proximal extremity 16 and to
clamp it against the holes 106 and 98. Thereafter, the spindle 82
can be rotated to rotate the flexible elongate element 12 to any
desired angular position while still maintaining electrical contact
therewith through the conductive disks 61.
The guide wire can then be advanced and rotated until the distal
extremity has been advanced into the desired location in the blood
vessel. In connection with the procedure, if it is necessary to use
an exchange wire, the rotary connector 11 can be readily removed by
depressing the push button 89 to release the proximal extremity 16
of the flexible elongate member 12 to permit the same to be
removed. An exchange wire can then be affixed thereto. Thereafter,
the angioplasty procedure can be completed in a conventional
manner.
From the foregoing it can be seen that there has been provided a
rotary connector which provides continuous electrical contact with
the slip rings during rotation of the flexible elongate member even
in the presence of contamination. It is relatively simple and is
easy to operate and can be operated by one hand with the finger
depressing the push button while permitting use of the other hand
to insert the proximal extremity of the guide wire into the rotary
connector.
* * * * *